Woman who faked being police sentenced for fraud

ST. LOUIS (AP) - A St. Louis-area woman has been sentenced to nearly four years in prison for a fraud scheme in which she pretended to be in law enforcement or part of the legal profession.

The sentence for 47-year-old Theresa Moore was handed down Thursday in U.S. District Court in St. Louis. She must also pay restitution of $86,000 to the victims. Moore pleaded guilty in September to four fraud counts.

Federal prosecutors say that one victim was an elderly widower whom Moore convinced was the victim of identity theft. The man paid her more than $60,000 after Moore convinced him he would receive money as part of a legal settlement.

An associate of Moore posed as a police detective to aid Moore in another scheme that cost that victim more than $20,000.